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Never Break the Chain: Ousted Lindsey Buckingham Sues Fleetwood Mac Members

By Christopher Coble, Esq. on October 15, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Fired Fleetwood Mac guitarist and singer Lindsey Buckingham has filed a lawsuit against remaining band members Mick Fleetwood, John and Christine McVie, and Stevie Nicks, attempting to enforce his "right to share in the economic opportunities he is entitled to as a member of the partnership created to operate the business of Fleetwood Mac."

Though Buckingham admits there has never been a written band agreement among the members, he claims he was informed of his firing via second hand news on the eve of a world tour, and that he had delayed dreams of his own tour and album release to go on the road with Fleetwood Mac. He is suing for $12 million in damages along with a share of the tour proceeds.

Don't Stop

"After forty-three years and the finish line clearly in sight, it's hard to escape the conclusion that for the five of us to splinter apart now would be the wrong thing," Buckingham wrote in an email to Mick Fleetwood and Christine McVie. "Wrong for the beautiful legacy we've built together. Wrong for our legions of loyal fans who would hate to see the final act be a breakup. Wrong for ourselves, and all that we've accomplished and shared together." That email apparently failed to convince Fleetwood and McVie to bring Buckingham back aboard.

According to the lawsuit, Buckingham had originally asked the band to delay the tour to accommodate his own solo album release and tour, but they refused. While Buckingham agreed to tour with Fleetwood Mac on their schedule, there were disagreements about him playing smaller, solo gigs in between the band's tour dates. Buckingham claims he was originally told the tour was off, and then was alerted, via phone, of his ouster five days after Fleetwood Mac appeared at Radio City Music Hall in January.

Go Your Own Way

Buckingham claims band members are guilty of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of oral contract, and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage. Fleetwood Mac wasted no time in replying to the suit, issuing a one-sentence response:

"Fleetwood Mac looks forward to their day in court."

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